


Ruby and Steel

by imaginary_golux



Category: Redwall Series - Brian Jacques
Genre: Angst and Feels, Blacksmithing, Canonical Character Death, F/M, Hopeful Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 14:21:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29172543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginary_golux/pseuds/imaginary_golux
Summary: It is given to the Badger Lords of Salamandastron to see a great many things - those that are, and those that were, and those that yet will be.Boar sees a great deal while he is forging Martin's sword.
Relationships: Martin the Warrior/Rose (Redwall)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 26
Collections: February Ficlet Challenge 2021: Apocalypse No





	Ruby and Steel

It is given to the Badger Lords of Salamandastron to see a great many things - those that are, and those that were, and those that yet will be.

When Lupin brings the fallen skymetal to Boar, Boar knows that it is meant for a truly special weapon - one that will take all his skill to create, one that will outlast him as the ocean outlasts the shore, one that is meant for a warrior whose name will outshine even that of Boar the Fighter. Badger Lords are not given to jealousy - wrath is enough of a vice to be getting on with - and so Boar places the skymetal in his forge to wait, in calm and pleased anticipation of someday creating so glorious a weapon for so marvelous a warrior.

He’s not necessarily expecting a mouse, but then, he’s not necessarily _expecting_ anything. And while Martin is not yet armed as befits a warrior, his spirit is already forged on a far hotter fire than Boar’s forge could ever hope to be.

Boar will never tell Martin how much of that fire he sees as he labors over the skymetal, that long sleepless night.

He sees the caves where Martin was happy, and the decimation of Martin’s people, and the long terrible journey to Badrang’s fortress; and Boar the Fighter grieves that Badrang chose a place too far away for Boar’s hares to find it out, for that would have been a worthy battle indeed, suited to a Badger Lord of Salamandastron.

He sees the soul-deep stubbornness which will not let Martin bow his head to any lord, and the price it has already demanded of the young warrior, and the price it will yet require, and knows that Martin will pay that price without hesitation, because there is in the mouse a steel stronger than skymetal, which cannot be bent nor broken.

He sees Rose, and Boar is not ashamed that hot tears mingle with the metal beneath his hammer. It is a bitter thing, to lose one so dearly loved, and bitterer still to lose her so swiftly. Boar has known loss, but he and his Arabella had many years together, had a daughter, had a life. Martin’s grief for Laterose holds not long years of love but only the horrid emptiness of what could have been.

It does, however, give Boar the answer to a question he has been pondering while the blade takes shape beneath his hammer. There is a ruby, red as any rose, that he has kept for many years, purely for the beauty of it. But his days will end, soon - this, too, he has seen - and there will not be a better use for it than this. Let it be a remembrance: let it be set into the sword, blood-red, rose-red, and though no other knows it, let it be a memory of Laterose, beauty beside the steel of her love.

Boar wipes his tears away and raises his hammer again, and sees Tsarmina - sees Martin face her, torn and bleeding and unbroken - sees her death.

Sees Martin, someday, set down the sword which now lies gleaming on the anvil, and turn his hands to peace.

Sees another set of paws take it up, someday, to carry on Martin’s legacy, to fight as Martin fought to defend the ones he loves.

It is well.

Boar smiles, and quenches the sword.

**Author's Note:**

> Beta by the Best of all possible Beloveds, Turn_of_the_Sonic_Screw.
> 
> Written for the FFC prompt "Meteor."


End file.
